Asante believes Women’s World Cup will inspire a new generation of players

Published on: 17 June 2019

Anita Asante says the Women’s World Cup has the potential to inspire a new generation of players in Africa.

The Chelsea and England star, who is Ghanaian by descent, boasts a wealth of experience in women’s football, having played for clubs in Europe and North America during her career.

Three African nations – Nigeria, South Africa and Cameroon – have qualified for this summer’s tournament in France and Asante believes their participation will encourage other females across the continent to take up the sport.

“It’s just great to see that there’s a whole movement and a positive moment across Africa in general, but also within Ghana, to support girls and women to change the perceptions of what can be achieved in the sport as a female,” she told womensfootball.co.uk.

“You’re seeing so many more players at a national level and a grassroots level getting the representation that they deserve – I think that’s an important step.

“Also, as we live in a global connected world there is some much more access to information, women and girls can see profiles of players and see what’s out there to aspire for.”

Ghana missed out qualifying for the World Cup after failing to progress beyond the group stage of the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

However, they drew with eventual third place finishers Cameroon in their final group game, proving that they can match Africa’s top teams. Asante believes that results like that will help to motivate the next generation of players.

“It’s important that people can see that there are pathways that they can take to achieve their ambitions,” she added.

“There are people just like them from their background, who have maybe come from the same challenges in different places in the world, but are still there and still working to be visible, still working to build their dream and that they can also do that.”

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